Second Chance
by awordycontradiction
Summary: April saw something in Rebekah that he couldn't, and whether it was all an act or not, it had Matt second guessing himself, second guessing Rebekah, and if everyone really did deserve a second chance.


The lunch crowd chatted quietly as the bus boy swerved through the minor traffic. The Grill was back in business within a week of the nasty gas explosion that caused the mild damage to the seating area. Matt rolled his eyes while passing a table of teenagers from the high school. The one boy bragged about how he saw the building literally _shoot_ through the air.

Matt's gaze wandered around aimlessly, it was something that he had grown accustom to do, never knowing when danger was going to strike. He didn't even feel safe at The Grill anymore. Damon was sitting at the bar, his usual scowl and double bourbon combo making anyone in a six feet radius cautiously step around him. Matt reminded himself that he needed to talk to the older and less appealing Salvatore brother, before going to empty the dishes.

As he stepped back out of the kitchen, he saw April Young talking to the table of teenagers, listening to the exaggerated story, her own first hand account hazed over by the affects of all things evil, though in this case, necessary. He fought with himself for over a minute, his face contouring into looks of dismay and aggravation. He settled though, fishing out his cell phone from his jean pocket and quickly finding the number he never wanted to see again.

"Hey, it's Matt.. look, I don't _owe _you anything, but I thought you should know that April is really worried about you. She likes you, and if you want at least one friend, I suggest you call her back."

Matt ended the call. Three times he rang Rebekah, three times it went to voice mail. He tried to ignore the nagging tension inside him that screamed that something was wrong. Rebekah was a vampire, an _original_ vampire, she could take care of herself. After listening to April ask him for the sixth time if he had spoken to the dangerous blonde, he felt like he needed to help the girl, even if talking to Rebekah Michealson was last on his priorities list.

He nodded to Mr. and Mrs. Nolan, the sweet old couple that came into the Grill every afternoon for lunch. He smiled while pocketing the generous tip they always left him. Being in contact with people, _living_, breathing people, really put Matt's life into perspective. Pretty soon, he figured he'd be the only one in his graduating class that would grow old like the Nolan's.

"Hey Matt." The girl smiled sheepishly while strutting over. She wore a look of pure determination. "I know I am probably bothering you, but I'm worried. Like _really_ worried about R-" "I know." Matt sighed, placing down his dish tray. "Look, I wish I could help, but Rebekah does this sometimes, she just takes off." Matt shrugged his broad shoulders and moved to the next dirty table. That's what happened, he told himself. Rebekah got bored with trying to make everyone forgive her, or maybe she got sick of her brothers crap. He couldn't blame her about that. Matt concentrated on the practicals.

Rebekah was fine, and he'd be damned if he lost sleep over the girl who nearly cost him his life. He wasn't at all surprised the younger girl followed. "I know you two had an awkward breakup or whatever, but the reason I'm being so persistent is because she told me she'd help me look into my dad's-" "April!" Matt begged. A mother and son looked up from their cheeseburgers, and Matt gave them an apologetic smile moving away from the customers and rubbing his neck with one hand.

"Wait, what makes you think that we had a break up?" Matt used his free hand to wipe the crumbs off of a counter top. "What makes you think we'd even be a couple?" He muttered, mostly to himself. "That's just the impression I got from her. She's a good person." April insisted, crossing her arms. Matt sighed, eying Jeremy's bracelet on her wrist. April was going to get caught up in this if he wasn't careful. "She really likes you, Matt." Any trace of aggravation was lost in April's voice. Matt blinked, his blue eyes soaring under the intimate yellow lights of the Grill's dining booths.

"What? Who?" He wasn't following. April cracked a smile. "Rebekah!" Matt rolled his eyes, he didn't give a damn what Rebekah thought of him. She was a murderous blood sucking monster, and that was the way she'd stay. "You don't know her like I do, April. She's-"

"Lost?" April shrugged her thin shoulders. "She doesn't fit in, none of you are nice to her.. and look, I get it, she probably did things that made you all feel this way, but doesn't everybody deserve a second chance?" April's similar blue eyes were smoldering with honesty and true, earnest compassion.

Matt had to look away, April Young was so intense, when she hardly knew him, or Rebekah, or anyone. He tried to tell himself that she just didn't know any better. What Rebekah did, what she was, it would change the way she looked at her. But Matt couldn't do that. Even if he hated Rebekah, everyone deserved at least one friend.

"I'll call her." Matt sighed, giving in. "Thank you." April beamed, with a bright smile. She walked out of The Grill a few minutes later. Matt shook his head. April saw something in Rebekah that he couldn't, and whether it was all an act or not, it had Matt second guessing himself, second guessing Rebekah, and if everyone really did deserve a second chance.

He potted Damon signaling for two more bourbons, and walked over. Misery loved company.


End file.
